Weddings & Chimney Sweeps

lucky chimney sweeps at weddings

It’s thought to be lucky to have chimney sweeps at weddings, But as with most superstitions, the roots of this one are hard to trace.

One common story about lucky chimney sweeps at weddings involves King George II, a puppy, and an errant horse.

Basically, they say, during a royal procession, a dog nipped at the legs of the king’s steed, and the horse spooked. A chimney sweep then appeared out of the crowd, brought the animal under control, and disappeared again. The king wasn’t able to thank the sweep personally, So he said that from that day onward, sweeps should be regarded as lucky.

Even earlier than the previous legend, King William of Britain in 1066 is said to have been rescued by a chimney sweep who pushed him out of the path of a runaway carriage. Believing that the sweep brought him luck and wanting to express gratitude, King William invited the sweep to his daughter’s wedding. Not only this, but King William also declared chimney sweeps to be lucky and therefore permitted the workers to wear top hats, usually reserved only for the distinguished. From then on the presence of a chimney sweep at a wedding has been a sign of good luck, and his/her visit may also cancel out bad luck.

Regardless of the story you choose to believe, each comes with the notions that not only should chimney sweeps come to your wedding, but simply seeing one, shaking his hand or receiving a kiss from him on your wedding day will bring luck to your new marriage. Inviting chimney sweeps to weddings in places like Great Britain or Germany is still popular today, and some sweeps welcome invitations by renting themselves out as wedding guests. Still more, several chimney sweeps will announce their arrival at the reception, sometimes entering to music!